5 People In Your Network Who Can Land You Your Next Job (And How to Reach Out)
Your Network Isn't Your Future, It's Your Present
And you're probably not using it right
How many people do you actually trust enough to call if your job ended tomorrow?
Not scroll through your LinkedIn contacts. Not think "oh, I should reach out to them." Actually pick up the phone and say: "I need help."
Most of us would struggle to name five.
But here's the thing, the people who land their next role in half the time their peers do? They don't have some secret talent. They're not better networkers. They're just playing a different game.
They understand something fundamental about how careers actually work. And it has nothing to do with being the most outgoing person in the room.
You're Doing This All Wrong (And So Was Karen)
Karen Worthy spent years as an engineer. Operations person. Supply chain expert. She was the fixer—the person who ran toward whatever was broken and fixed it.
And she was crushing it.
She had no intention of going into HR. Honestly? She didn't even know what HR did.
Then one day her startup said: "We need you to help recruiting for three months. Can you figure it out?"
She said yes.
That three-month detour became a career pivot that led to VP of HR. Not because she was strategic about building her network. But because she said yes to something outside her comfort zone and did it well.
People noticed.
Someone believed in her capabilities before she believed in them herself. And suddenly, possibilities opened up that didn't exist before.
(05:38) Your Champions List (And Why You're Not Making One)
Most career transition advice fails at the same place. It tells you to network. Go to events. Build relationships. Be strategic.
You show up. Collect business cards. Feel productive. Then nothing happens.
Karen does something completely different with her clients.
She has them make a list of champions:
Past bosses who believed in them
Colleagues they actually respected
Friends and family who've seen them at their best
Mentors who pushed them forward
Anyone who would go to bat for them
Not networking contacts. Not "people who might know someone." People who genuinely believe in who you are.
Most people come back with five or ten names. Then immediately say: "But none of them work at places I want to work. I'm stuck."
That's when Karen asks the question nobody asks: "Do they know anyone?"
Because here's what gets missed: your champions don't hire you. They introduce you to someone who does.
And that person introduces you to someone else. And somewhere down the chain, someone hires you.
But the magic isn't in the final person. It's in that first handoff. That transference of trust. That moment where you go from "another application" to "someone my friend told me about."
Suddenly the odds completely flip.
(14:22) Three Communities You Need Right Now
Karen tells every single client the same thing: You need at least two to three communities at any given time.
Community One: Your Functional Space
This is your HR community. Your recruiting community. Whatever your job is, there's a community of people doing the exact same work. Pick one that fits your vibe. Show up. Engage.
Community Two: Your Personal Space
This is the thing most people skip because it doesn't feel "professional enough." Location-based groups. Women in business. Vegan cooking enthusiasts. A hobby you actually care about. The point isn't professional connection. The point is you're part of something that matters to you as a human.
Community Three: Your Transformation Space
This changes depending on where you are right now. If you're job searching, join a community of people going through the same thing. If you're leveling up to director, join a leadership development community. If you're learning AI, join an AI learning community. Whatever transformation you're going through, there's a community for it.
And the magic happens when you're active in all three at once.
(22:15) The Gym Buddy Rule: Why Weak Ties Win
Karen's got a client who desperately wanted to work at one specific company. Their dream place.
They applied. No interview. They tried everything. Nothing worked. Then one day they're at the gym. Talking to their workout buddy about life and jobs.
"Oh, my son works there," the buddy says.
One introduction. One meeting. One opportunity. They got the job.
Here's another one: a client got an interview because they were in a training class with someone three years ago. They'd barely talked since. But when this person reconnected, that dormant relationship suddenly had power.
Karen calls this weak ties. And they're incredibly powerful.
Most of us obsess over our strong ties—the people we talk to all the time, our inner circle, our best friends.
But your weak ties?
The person you met at a conference once
The colleague from a job you had five years ago
Your neighbor
Your gym buddy
They know completely different people than your close friends do. And they're often much more willing to help introduce you around.
Which means your weak ties actually expand your universe in ways strong ties never could.
(28:33) Stop Waiting for Permission to Reach Out
The fear is always the same.
"They won't remember me."
"It'll be awkward."
"They're too busy."
"I don't want to bother them."
Here's what Karen found with her clients: almost none of them say no or make it weird when you reach out.
People want to help. We've just convinced ourselves they don't.
The gym buddy. The neighbor's son. The person from that training class three years ago.
These aren't strategic networking wins. They're just relationships that existed already, suddenly activated when someone had the courage to ask.
Here's what actually happens when you reach out:
Your former manager who always believed in you? They're happy to hear from you.
Your old colleague from your startup days? They remember you.
The friend you connected with on LinkedIn but haven't talked to in years? They want to help.
They want to. Most people just never ask.
The work starts with making your list.
You don't need to overhaul your entire strategy. You don't need to become someone who works a room like a politician.
You just need to get real about who you trust and who trusts you.
Make that list. Pick one community. Reach out to one person you haven't talked to in a while.
Start small. Start weird if you need to. But start, because your next opportunity is probably closer than you think.
Ready to build your own strategy?
Connect with Karen here:
Connect with Traci here: https://linktr.ee/HRTraci
Disclaimer: Thoughts, opinions, and statements made on this podcast are not a reflection of the thoughts, opinions, and statements of the Company by whom Traci Chernoff is actively employed.
Please note that this episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products or services. Individuals on the show may have a direct or indirect financial interest in products or services referred to in this episode.